Places to Visit Near Buffalo & Niagara Falls, NY This Summer!

Every year, every season, I set out to make these "to do" lists of things that would make a well-rounded family experience (like THIS, and THIS). Sometimes we do a good job at checking things off, and other times we totally blow it.

I'm okay with not checking off every little thing on every single list, but taking the time to create such detailed lists and then ignoring them in exchange for lying on my patio swing for hours while the boys work buckets of sand into their shoes (and in Jake's case, his diaper), seems like a waste.

I've gotten better at streamlining my lists down to the realistic things. Last year I focused on outdoor activities. This year, I'm focusing more on outings.

We live in the Buffalo, NY area, and we just don't take advantage of all there is to do these days. In the past five years alone, our community has created so many things to see and do! There's a saying around town that goes, "If you haven't seen Buffalo lately, you haven't seen Buffalo."

So just in case you are local to Western New York, or you're thinking of crossing "See Niagara Falls" off your bucket list this Summer and you want to know what else to check out while you're here, I'm sharing my list of what we'll be up to around Buffalo this Summer!



1. Transit Drive-In
2. Letchworth State Park
3. Fantasy Island
4. Beaver Island Beach
5. Putt-Putt (anywhere!)
6. The Buffalo Zoo
7. Camping (lots of choices, we like the KOAs around here)
8. Old Man River/Mississippi Mudds (get the sweet potato fries!)
9. Greg's U-Pick (Strawberries in June, Blueberries in July, Blackberries in August)
10. Buffalo Botanical Gardens
11. Glen Falls
12. Sweet Jenny's
13. Buffalo Naval Park & Canalside
14. Tifft Nature Preserve 
15. Arcade & Attica Railroad
16. Harbor Center
17. Olcott Beach
18. Wehrle Golf Dome
19. Transit Lanes
20. Buffalo Science Museum
21. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure
22. Fort Niagara Park & Old Fort Niagara
23. Darien Lake
24. Niagara Falls Aquarium
25. Canal Fest

We will, of course, visit many playgrounds, our three fav ice cream stops (probably way too many times), and watch 4th of July fireworks nearby. Oh - and don't forget to get your Beef on Weck, Wings, and Watsons sponge candy while you're in town!

If you're local - where are you headed this summer? Anywhere I should add to my list?

-

Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love. 

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Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, NY

If you have any small children, chances are you've been to a zoo in the last handful of years. It's a great outing for little ones, and if you live close to one (as we do), it's a relatively easy way to get out of the house without spending a ton of money. While the kids may be into repetition, and you all may develop a little love for the specific animals in your zoo, sometimes the same old place can get boring!

I have a tip for you!

We were gifted a membership to the Buffalo Zoo for Christmas the past couple of years, and with our membership we get free or reduced admission to tons of other zoos.  If you have a zoo membership to many other locations in the Northeast, they'll offer you the same deal - I highly recommend taking advantage of it! (Also, asking for a zoo membership for Christmas from Grandparents is a great way to avoid getting TOO many toys and also have a way to make great family memories all year!) It was really cool to see a new zoo, and they had lots of animals that our zoo doesn't have. Plus, with it being a new place, it was extra-exciting for the kids to get their grubby hands on everything for the first time. ;)

Almost exactly a year ago, my family and I took a quick trip to Syracuse, NY to take advantage of our zoo discount and to visit my sister and her family. They actually just moved back to the Buffalo area recently, but had been living there for a few years. It worked out perfectly!

So on a Friday evening, we loaded the crew in the van and made our way across the state.

The next morning, we went to the zoo bright & early. We ended up getting my entire family in for only $10 - which was awesome! (See? Pack snacks and drinks, and you've got one heck of a cheap family outing!!)

I was expecting this zoo to be really small and not as nice as the Buffalo Zoo (as I've heard from many that Buffalo is the best zoo in Western & Central NY), but I was pleasantly surprised! They did a lot of recent renovating, and it was really cute there!

The first thing we saw was a big octopus - the kids loved it!

  
We followed the twisting hallways and saw meerkats, lemurs, fish, snakes, and all kinds of monkeys. Their lion den was even visible through a hallway, and we found ourselves separated from a massive male lion by only a sheet of glass! It was so crazy to be that close and see him so well - I don't think I've ever been that close to a lion before!! (Coincidentally, I wasn't able to get a good picture because there was a bad glare due to the glass - oh well!)

  

Some necessary goofy picture posing ;)

We saw lots of birds (big and small), tigers, elephants and farm animals (like pigs, chickens, and ponies) before we got some lunch in the zoo's cafe - which was yummy!


Our "Zoovenirs"...haha ;)
They had a great little gift shop, and since this trip counted as a family vacation, I let them all pick out a small souvenir. I was wearing the baby through our whole trip, and as we walked passed a little display of squirty bath toys in all different animals, he reached out and grabbed a lion! I tried to put it back, and even show him some of the other animals, but he insisted on that little lion! I'd never seen him show a preference for something like that before, so that had to be his little toy! The big boys each picked out a Jeep toy, and I picked out a magnet for our fridge.

I would highly recommend a trip to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo if you're in NY or passing through - it's really nicely done, and the kids really enjoyed it!

-
Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love. 


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A Little "Rhody" Summer!

Summer is almost upon us! If you are like me, you are already planning your weekend getaways, road trips and/or a list of all the places to see & things to do! Should you find yourself heading up to “Little Rhody” (or even passing through it), there are so many fun & unique things to do here. Summer is the best time to visit Rhode Island; we aren’t labeled the Ocean State for just any old reason! Below are my Top 5 activities you should consider when visiting RI in the summer!

5. Roger Williams Park Zoo

This is a perfect cloudy day or late afternoon trip idea for the whole family. This zoo has more than just animals. Kids can cool off in the Drip Drop Water Garden, climb the treehouse where there are things to see & hear or build a creation at the Sticks & Stones Building Zone. There are even camel rides, giraffe feedings, rock climbing & a butterfly garden! At $14.95 for adults/$9.95 for children, it’s a great price for all it offers. Plus, you can bring in your own picnic lunch (some zoo’s do not allow outside food), which is amazing!

4. Rustic Drive-in Movie Theater

There is something to said about sitting under the stars on a cool, breezy summer night watching your favorite movies with a bunch of friends! It just screams SUMMER to me! This authentic 1950’s drive-in has 3 screens, with 2 shows playing on each screen. Outside food can be brought in (or purchased there) and it is only $27 per carload! With movie tickets at almost 12$ per ticket, per show- this is a great bargain! Kids & adults will love this place!

3. Newport, RI

Visiting Newport can be broken into many parts. 1. A visit to one of the 11 mansions, which were built during the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. 2. A visit to one of the popular beaches. 3. Shopping & dining along the harbor that boast spectacular views. You can visit Newport during the day and have a completely different experience at night. There is truly something for everyone. 

2. Waterfire

Waterfire is a non-profit arts organization whose goal is to bring to life the downtown urban area and revitalize it with art, music and more. Over 80 bonfires are set amongst the water at WaterPlace Park. Visitors walk along the banks enjoying local music, watch performances, grab local fare from food trucks as well as the sites & smells of the burning embers.  It’s always free admission and it really is a site to see. Check their schedule online for more info.

1. Galilee & Point Judith

This quaint fishing village is home to the largest fishing fleet in RI, as well as home to the Block Island Ferry. The beach is small yet gorgeous. A jetty formation lines the beach where onlookers wave to all the ferries that pass by. George’s of Galilee serves the best clamcakes & chowder and there are tons of places to buy fresh fish & lobster right from the boat.  Small shops, ice cream parlors & other eateries make this #1 on my list!

Thanks so much for sharing your top 5 places to visit in Rhode Island this summer JoyMarie! 

Have you been to any of these spots?  Which ones do you plan to check out this summer?

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Spring Activities On Long Island

I feel like it was just yesterday that the snow finally stopped falling here on Long Island. Oh wait, it really was only a few days ago that it was still snowing in the Northeast. That's how long and dreadful this winter has been. But thank goodness spring is officially here and I thought I would share some fun spring activities on Long Island.

First off, there are so many wonderful farmer's markets that start opening up again in the spring. I love going to a few with my daughter and picking up fresh fruits and veggies. Some of them even have a great selection of homemade goods too, like pies and cookies.  Speaking of pies, the warmer weather and longer days give us a boost to head out east for the best peach pies ever at Briermere Farms.

Long Island also has some wonderful farms where you can pick your own strawberries in late spring, early summer. It's a blast to head out east and fill our little baskets with strawberries. It can get a little messy but the berries are just delicious. And of course while you're out east, all of the Long Island wineries have their outdoor areas open again. I love when some of the vineyards have live music playing outside while we sit back and sip our wine.

I also love that it is finally getting warm enough to actually enjoy the beautiful parks in both Suffolk and Nassau counties. This year we have our eye on the Spring Family Fishing Festival at Belmont State Park. All you have to do is pay the parking fee (under $10) and you can fish all day. I don't even like to fish all that much but, hey, it's something new to take our daughter to. There's also so many spring festivals happening across the island. It's a little far from us but we plan on driving out to the Town of Oyster Bay spring festival because it's full of delicious food, a petting zoo and a few bounce houses. That should keep up busy enough for one weekend!

If you happen to like trains, or you have a little one that is obsessed with them, Long Island Live Steamers opens back up in May. You can ride on these small steam engine trains that are a huge hit with the kids. Adults can ride them too!

It's impossible to highlight all of the wonderful spring activities on Long Island. If you find yourself out here this spring, all you have to do is check out any LI website or newspaper and you're bound to find something fun going on!


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The North Fork of Long Island

Happy Monday! I'm Karen and I'm happy to be a NY State Rep for the Northeast Bloggers. I live with my family on Long Island and I love it. When I tell out of state people where I live, they either bring up "The Long Island Medium" or the Hamptons. Yea, everybody knows about the ritzy Hamptons where a bunch of celebrities have huge summer houses on the South Fork. But I much prefer the North Fork of Long Island.

First of all, I find it quieter and less congested traffic wise. And there's so many cute towns to drive through.  But, of course, my favorite thing is Long Island wine country! Just driving along Route 25, you can basically hop from one winery to another. And not only are the views from the wineries gorgeous but the tastings are so much fun. There are even a few wineries that have fun family days complete with games and petting zoos. Pindar happens to be a personal favorite Long Island winery for me.

Another thing I love about the North Fork is all of the great farm stands. They carry amazing produce, fresh baked goods, and in the fall, most of them have the best pumpkin picking.  Every October, a group of us always take our kids out east and visit a few pumpkin patches. If you venture further east, towards Orient Point, there's even a beautiful lavender farm called Lavender By The Bay.

And while I am into more modern furniture, there are a ton of shops to hit up for some good antiquing.  If you're in the mood for some great food with a historic vibe, there's Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport. The brunch there is delicious!

There's so much to love about living on Long Island, from the beaches to the proximity of New York City. And a drive out to the North Fork is just another great thing to do whether you're just visiting or a Long Islander yourself!

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Road Trip Theme Ideas!

Today Kelly of A Lovely Life, Indeed, is sharing some tips with us for some great road trips!  Summer might be almost over but these ideas would be great in the fall as well!

We love road trips. Armed with snacks, coffee or tea and a good play list, we can go for days. 

If you're one of those folks, like us, who loves the open road, here are some theme ideas for your summer travels that may take you someplace unexpected.
 
1. State park tour. 
Make a goal to visit your state parks. Start here, at America's State Parks or google your own state's parks. Use apps and gps tours to access the best that your state has to offer.

2. Museum tour
If you're a Bank of America card holder, you can get into more than 150 museums in 92 cities in 31 states for FREE on the 1st weekend of every month through the Museums on Us program. This is a great way to see touring exhibits, as well as permanent collections that your favorite museums have curated. 

If you're not a Bank of America card holder, check with your local library for museum passes. This is a lower-cost option and you may discover someplace new. A win-win. 

3. Foodie tour...here are some ideas for seeking out samples of the best in your area and crown your own personal champion.

• lobster rolls
• barbecue
• ice cream 

4. Get your kicks on route 66
Or any other route that works for you. Pick a starting point of any in-state route and follow it from end to end. Or, if you have more time, pick an interstate. Stay off the beaten path and discover main streets and back roads, country stores and roadside attractions. You can always get on the freeway, but you may discover a way from here to there worth revisiting. And if you have a lot of time, consider US-1, from Maine to Key West, Florida.

5. Flagship pilgrimage
Many beloved companies have flagship stores that are well worth the visit. They may offer tours and outlets where you can find bargains on your favorite products. 

Here in New England, we have

• L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine
• Ben and Jerry's in Waterbury, Vermont
• Yankee Candle Company in Deerfield, Massachusetts
• Sam Adams Brewery in Boston, Massachusetts
• Cabot Cheese in Cabot, Vermont

And I have always wanted to visit Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan to add to our ornament collection and tradition. 

 

What are your favorite road trip themes?

 

 Want even more road trip ideas?  Check out the rest of Kelly's ideas over at her original post here!

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Maine Dining Guide

Heading up to Maine this summer for a little vacation time?  Before you do, check out Isara's Maine Dining Guide for Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park!  She shares 4 awesome dining spots you should be sure to check out!  Here is just one of the great spots she recommends:

 Two Cats Inn & Cafe, 130 Cottage St. Bar Harbor, ME

 Summer Scramble: tomato, scallions, feta cheese; spicy home fries

This is my family’s all-time favorite breakfast spot from any of our vacations ever. The Two Cats Inn serves up organic omelets, irresistible pancakes and world-class (according to the people who eat here) homemade biscuits and strawberry butter. You can sit cozily inside where you feel like you’re breakfasting in your own home, or outside on the patio watching the happenings on the street. In either spot you feel the energy of fellow vacationers planning their adventures into nature for the day over eggs and coffee out of a bright yellow mug. During the busy season there’s usually a wait — from the end of June to end of August –but the line moves along quickly and this food is oh-so worth it.

Want to know more?  Check out the full post here on Alone with a Cupcake!

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Travel Tips: How to Eat Well in Coastal Maine

Don't forget!  Our Summer Twitter Party is tonight at 9pm!  Check out all the info here and RSVP to join the fun!

Today's guest post comes from Christy who writes the blog Sweet and Savoring.  Christy shares some great tips on where to eat when you visit Coastal Maine!

If you’re planning a trip to Maine, or if you’re already a fan of the Pine Tree State, or if you’re just a food lover, then this post is for you. We start off our How to Eat Well in Coastal Maine feature in Portland, then head north to Camden and Belfast, and finish up in the Boothbay region.

Portland, while not Maine’s capital, is the state’s largest and most populated metropolitan area. The city is known for its many restaurants and great chefs.

Stop for a mid-morning snack at The Holy Donut, which now has two Portland locations.

Next, you might wander around Portland’s historic waterfront district. Hopefully it’s not raining, although it certainly doesn’t detract from the area’s charm.

(Pro tip: if you need to use a restroom in the middle of your aimless ambling, pop into the ferry terminal building!)...

Want more donut pictures?  Need to find out where to eat lunch, dinner and the best Bloody Mary?  Click over to Sweet and Savoring to read the rest of her tips!

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